


Blood Red Roses

by zombie_honeymoon



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood, Hanahaki Disease, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2020-08-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:27:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,502
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25812049
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zombie_honeymoon/pseuds/zombie_honeymoon
Summary: Hidan is never sick, so when Kakuzu is woken by the sound of violent coughing, he's immediately worried.
Relationships: Hidan/Kakuzu (Naruto)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 158
Collections: Naruto Multishippers Anonymous, Writer's Month 2020





	Blood Red Roses

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Month Day 9 - Illness 
> 
> I'm caught up, for now.

In all the time Kakuzu knew Hidan, never once had he been sick. So when he woke to the sound of violent coughing, he was more than concerned. In the small inn they had slept the night at, Kakuzu opened his eyes to see Hidan sitting up in bed as coughs wracked his body. It looked to Kakuzu he was about to make himself sick from it.  Moments later he watched as Hidan was stumbling into the bathroom, a hand covering his mouth as he fought to stop coughing. Judging by the sounds coming through the door, he was indeed sick. 

Kakuzu wasn’t sure if he should check on him or not. His concern was based solely on the fact that Hidan was immortal, and Pein would not be very pleased with him if yet another of his partners died. 

At least, that’s what he tried to tell himself. But the truth was, he was worried because somehow Hidan had gotten to him and made him care. 

Getting out of bed, Kakuzu decided that he should check on him, and didn’t bother knocking. Whatever he was walking in on, he was sure he had seen it all before. And he had, but not from Hidan. It made something twist in his chest as he saw the drops of blood on the white counter and the bloodied flowers in the sink. He looked over at Hidan who supported himself on both hands leaning on the sink, trembling, looking at what he coughed up with wide, fearful eyes. 

Kakuzu knew they had come from him, the blood on his mouth, dripping down his chin, confirmed it. Besides, where else would they have come from?

“Kakuzu? What the fuck is this?” Hidan blinked away tears, his voice pained, “I thought I was going to throw up last night's dinner, not some goddamn flowers!” 

“You’ve never heard of it? It’s a very old illness.” 

Hidan shook his head, not wanting to speak as his throat felt raw and it hurt too much. 

“Hanahaki disease. It infects those who believe their love to not be returned.”   


“Of all the dumb shit to happen to me… A fucking love disease?” Hidan scoffed, immediately regretting it as it irritated his throat and he groaned, “I’m not in love. I’ve never been in love.”   


Reaching for one of the flowers, Kakuzu held it up between them. Blood red roses, the stem covered in tiny thorns that held bits of flesh and Kakuzu shuddered, imagining just how painful it must have been for Hidan. “This very obviously says otherwise. It also says that you’re an idiot.”   


“Fuck off. I’m suffering here and you’re resorting to calling me names.” Hidan turned on the tap and cupped his hand to bring some water to his mouth to rinse with. He attempted to drink some, too, but it hurt too much and he spit it out. When he was finished, Kakuzu ordered him back to bed. 

“You seem to be the expert on this, so what’s the cure for it? I thought once I did my ritual, it would be gone. But it’s not.” Hidan’s voice held a hint of panic to it.

“Why would I be an expert on it?”   


“You’re old, this disease is old, it suits you much better than me! Why don’t you have it instead?” 

Hidan and his logic… Kakuzu sighed, “You have to tell the person you love, and if they return it, you will get better. If not, you die.”   


“I’m immortal.”   


“Is anyone truly immortal though? I guess we’re about to find out.” Kakuzu shrugged on his cloak and zipped it, “I’m going to get breakfast.”   


Hidan watched him as he walked to the door, “I thought we were leaving today.”   


Pausing, Kakuzu shook his head and said, “You’re in no condition to travel.” Then he was out the door, shutting it firmly behind him. How long had Hidan been sick, he wondered. It had to have been a long time if he was coughing up flowers in full bloom. He had hidden it well. Maybe too well. How had he not noticed anything was amiss with him until now.

Returning with a tray full of breakfast and a pot of tea from the old lady who ran the inn, Kakuzu was distressed to find Hidan bent over in bed, coughing up yet more flowers as blood dripped from his mouth. 

He set the tray down on the table and went over to his partner, “Make it-- stop--!” Hidan begged between coughs, trying to breathe as he gagged on a rose stuck in his throat all while tears flooded his eyes. 

Taking pity on him, Kakuzu gently gripped Hidan’s jaw to tilt his face up, then let a thin, fine tendril out from his forearm and very carefully into Hidan’s open mouth.

“Don’t move.” Kakuzu warned him, and Hidan sat as still as he could. The tendtil wrapped around the stem and Kakuzu pulled it out as gently as he could, all while Hidan’s magenta eyes were locked on his. And then Hidan reached up to cover Kakuzu’s hand, the one holding his face still, with his. It was slick with blood but Kakuzu didn’t move, didn’t remove it. He let him hold him. 

When it was finally out, Kakuzu held it up between them, a rose that was so dark red it was nearly black. 

Hidan wiped at his eyes before focusing on the rose.

“Hidan, you don’t have a lot of time left. So tell me, who is it for?” Kakuzu hated the way his hearts beat out of sync, nervously waiting for Hidan’s answer. He was sure it was him, but there was the chance that it wasn’t. 

Taking a breath, Hidan looked into Kakuzu’s eyes, “You.” 

“You really are an idiot.”   
  
“I know.” Hidan sounded defeated and fell back onto the pillows, “Keep it, you can remember me by it, or maybe don’t.”    
  
“That’s not what I meant. You’re an idiot because how could you not know?” Kakuzu leaned forward and wiped the blood from Hidan’s mouth, “Do I stitch anyone else up unless I’m ordered to? Do I stay at hotels with hot springs after a mission for anyone else? Do I get anyone else's favorite food?”   
  
Hidan shook his head.

“I don’t, because you’re different. I’ve killed all my previous partners.”   
  
“And now you’re killing me.” Hidan was out of breath, his voice hoarse.

“Only because you don’t understand. I thought you were smarter than that. Maybe I was wrong and you’re just as dumb as everyone says!” Kakuzu flung the rose across the room. It hit the wall with a wet sound before sliding to the floor, leaving behind a trail of blood.

“Maybe I am. I’m dying, Kakuzu. So if you’re trying to tell me something, please just fucking say it.” He clutched his chest, a sharp pain that he knew proceeded a coughing fit that would bring up more roses. The thorns were the worst part, he thought as he squeezed his eyes shut.

“I’m trying to say that… I love you, too.” He had to look away once the words were out, “Don’t ever expect to hear it again.”    
  
The pressure and pain in Hidan’s chest eased but didn’t go away, “Why’s it still hurt? Maybe you have to kiss me or something.” He pushed himself up and moved to kiss Kakuzu but Kakuzu held him back.   
  
“What you need is to rest, not to try and kiss me like this. It doesn’t go away immediately.” With more tenderness than he had shown before, Kakuzu pushed him back down and smoothed his hair back for him, “I meant what I said. I’d say you have another rose or two to cough up before you start healing.”   
  
Hidan felt like crying, he didn't like pain outside his rituals, “I don’t want to… It really hurts.”   
  
“I know, but there’s no other way to get them out. They don’t just vanish.” Kakuzu slid his hand down from Hidan’s forehead to cup the side of his face, “We’ll stay here until you’re well again.”   
  
“How long will it take do you think?” 

“Depends on how advanced the disease was.” 

“You said I was about to fucking die, right? So, it might be a while. I’ve been very sick… I hid it for a long time...” Hidan pouted, shifting down under the blankets, not at all bothered by the blood on them as plans formed in his mind on how to milk his recovery for all it was worth, determined to make sure Kakuzu kissed him (and maybe more if he was lucky) before they checked out of the inn. 

He hid his face, pressing close to Kakuzu, hoping he didn’t see his smirk.

“It won’t be  _ that _ long.” Kakuzu told him, already aware of what was going through his partner’s head, but he found that he just couldn’t be angry with the little shit he was currently stuck with. 


End file.
